Karsten Weis

Type

White Paper

Summary

Our laboratory studies the transport of macromolecules within cells. In particular, we seek to understand how proteins and RNAs are transported across the nuclear envelope. The exchange of macromolecules between the nucleus and the cytoplasm is absolutely essential to establish and maintain order in eukaryotic cells, and constitutes an important step in the regulation of gene expression. Our laboratory combines genetic, biochemical and biophysical approaches in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in metazoan cells to characterize and analyze the molecular machinery that is responsible for the transport of macromolecules into and out of the nucleus.

Interestingly, components of the nuclear transport machinery function not only to transport cargo during interphase but also play essential roles in cell division. In particular, the small GTPase Ran has emerged as a key regulator signaling multiple chromatin-mediated events during mitosis. We would like to understand the function of Ran in mitosis as well as identify and characterize factors that are regulated by Ran during cell division.